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Thursday, November 17, 2016

Schools and colleges are not arenas for religion or caste

In spite of being an Education Minister, I am participating in today's protest because I am also concerned about the state of education. I am worried that for the state education has come to mean construction of new schools, distribution of mid-day meals, distribution of uniforms & textbooks, among other things. Education means so much more than the mere appointment of teachers. At a time when those running the Central government are disturbing India's communal harmony, breaking backs of traders, dividing society along religious and caste lines, education becomes even more significant. I have come here today in solidarity with the concern that an attempt is being made to influence education also with their venomous agenda.

A conspiracy is being hatched to destroy our education system. They want to use education to spread venom, the way they use politics. If they are able to influence education, there would be a permanent impact on an entire generation. If they succeed at brainwashing children along religious and communal lines, there would be no meaning to schools and colleges. My worry is that these places of learning will turn into shakhas of the RSS.

As Minister of Education, it is my duty to protect universities, colleges and schools from being converted into arenas for religious and caste politics. India's most reputed university, JNU, has already been systematically maligned. The IITs and IIMs are no more in the news for their world class research. Instead, they make headlines because of the confrontation between the government and such institutions.

Vice-chancellors who refuse to toe the line, or those who refuse to implement this government's arbitrary and divisive policies, are being tormented. As Delhi's Education Minister, it is my responsibility to oppose such policies.

I'm not opposed to any group, community or religion. My goal is to prevent our schools and colleges from turning into arenas of religious and caste politics. We want to produce good human beings and professionals from our schools and colleges, not a mob that is preoccupied with religion and caste. Missionary schools, madarasas and saraswati shishu mandirs operate across the country. Our goal is that in all of these schools the curriculum must be backed by science. It must be forward-looking. We don't want to produce a generation of children stuck in the past. We want them to think into the future!

This is what makes it so important to voice our opposition to any move which aims to make schools and colleges centres for religion and caste. I assure you that I will support any such resistance.